Minnesota Sports Forum

TheSP wrote:

sjm34 wrote:

Q12543 wrote:SJM, How would you suggest we cut bait with Pek?

Injuries suck. When Ricky signed that contract extension, he just played 82 games! No one knew at the time he would get the Ankle Injury From Hell.

I never said anything about cutting bait on Pek (mainly because we can't), but I would never have re-signed Pek to a five year deal considering nobody offered him anything or even brought him in for a visit.

In reference to Ricky improving, I guess the .476 TS% jumping to a whopping .491 in two years make you technically correct, but all three years have been well below the league average. Of course cherry picking out the 22 games of last season doesn't really make sense since he has been coming off an injury for half his career.

While I agree that Ricky does other things very well that don't necessarily show up in the stats, that still doesn't help the wolves win games when he can't stay healthy. If he took advantage of that downtime on the injuries to improve, it might make it more palatable.

1. Could you provide a link that shows he didn't work on his game or is the fact he didn't post picture of said work enough?

2. What exactly do you feel a basketball player should work on when he has a severe ankle injury? You cannot even work on your shot if you're not supposed to be running and jumping.

3. The previous off season he was said to have worked on his shot. It didn't improve much if at all, but he worked on it.

Could you provide proof that he is working on his game?

You can improve your stroke sitting in a chair. That is actually a great exercise to work on your off hand believe it or not.

sjm34 wrote:
Could you provide proof that he is working on his game?

You can improve your stroke sitting in a chair. That is actually a great exercise to work on your off hand believe it or not.

I don't want to step on The SP's toes, but there is plenty of documentation out there that Rubio is a hard worker vs. sitting on his azz. Last year after he hurt his ankle, he used the time to work on his shot with Mike Penberthy : http://www.businessinsider.com/ricky-rubio-working-with-shooting-guru-mike-penberthy-2015-2

And after the season, he worked on getting stronger and improving his shot more by taking 100-200 shots a day: http://www.thescore.com/news/803076

I have no idea why anyone would think Rubio is lazy. He's always in shape and puts forth full effort in any practice or game I've watched.

If any other Wolf had been injured this much and improved this little and drafted so high there would be a mutiny. It's unexplainable to me how much leverage you guys give Ricky . I really wish someone would come out and explain why the hope for him is still so high..

sjm34 wrote:

Q12543 wrote:SJM, How would you suggest we cut bait with Pek?

Injuries suck. When Ricky signed that contract extension, he just played 82 games! No one knew at the time he would get the Ankle Injury From Hell.

I never said anything about cutting bait on Pek (mainly because we can't), but I would never have re-signed Pek to a five year deal considering nobody offered him anything or even brought him in for a visit.

In reference to Ricky improving, I guess the .476 TS% jumping to a whopping .491 in two years make you technically correct, but all three years have been well below the league average. Of course cherry picking out the 22 games of last season doesn't really make sense since he has been coming off an injury for half his career.

While I agree that Ricky does other things very well that don't necessarily show up in the stats, that still doesn't help the wolves win games when he can't stay healthy. If he took advantage of that downtime on the injuries to improve, it might make it more palatable.

My mistake, I mis-read what you wrote originally and thought you meant cutting bait on both Pek and Rubio.

Yes, his TS% at .491 is below average, but it was on a positive trend line all three seasons and it's really the ONLY area of his game that is a weakness. He literally has no other weaknesses - defense, rebounding, passing, leadership - he's a top 4 or 5 PG in every category except scoring efficiency and scoring volume. The other area he improved in, although again it was fairly subtle, was his assist/TO ratio. Thus, from an overall efficiency perspective, whether scoring or passing, he did improve in his first three seasons.

I personally don't think Ricky can get dramatically better at shooting. But for where the team is at right now, I don't care. We need a PG that can lead, defend, and set the young pups up. He checks the box in a big way in all three areas. I'll consider it a high-class problem if he's the guy holding us back from getting to the Finals. Hell, we haven't even sniffed the playoffs in over a decade!

PorkChop wrote:If any other Wolf had been injured this much and improved this little and drafted so high there would be a mutiny. It's unexplainable to me how much leverage you guys give Ricky . I really wish someone would come out and explain why the hope for him is still so high..

Because we've seen what he can do playing a full 82 games. The starting unit he led was one of the most high-powered offenses in the NBA. And what has occurred when he sits on the bench over the past few years with a variety of backup PGs is dramatic. It's very simple: We're a different team when he's on the court. That could NEVER be said (in a positive way) with past lottery picks like Foye, Brewer, Flynn, Johnson, or Williams.

Carlos Danger wrote:

sjm34 wrote:
Could you provide proof that he is working on his game?

You can improve your stroke sitting in a chair. That is actually a great exercise to work on your off hand believe it or not.

I don't want to step on The SP's toes, but there is plenty of documentation out there that Rubio is a hard worker vs. sitting on his azz. Last year after he hurt his ankle, he used the time to work on his shot with Mike Penberthy : http://www.businessinsider.com/ricky-rubio-working-with-shooting-guru-mike-penberthy-2015-2

And after the season, he worked on getting stronger and improving his shot more by taking 100-200 shots a day: http://www.thescore.com/news/803076

I have no idea why anyone would think Rubio is lazy. He's always in shape and puts forth full effort in any practice or game I've watched.

....And if you look at how his body has changed since coming into the league, he's clearly a bigger/stronger player.

I'm as frustrated as anyone about his shot, but everyone has a ceiling when it comes to shooting and no matter how much they work at it, they stop improving at some point. Perhaps Ricky's ceiling is low (?), I don't know, but I have no doubt he puts work into it.

Q12543 wrote:

PorkChop wrote:If any other Wolf had been injured this much and improved this little and drafted so high there would be a mutiny. It's unexplainable to me how much leverage you guys give Ricky . I really wish someone would come out and explain why the hope for him is still so high..

Because we've seen what he can do playing a full 82 games. The starting unit he led was one of the most high-powered offenses in the NBA. And what has occurred when he sits on the bench over the past few years with a variety of backup PGs is dramatic. It's very simple: We're a different team when he's on the court. That could NEVER be said (in a positive way) with past lottery picks like Foye, Brewer, Flynn, Johnson, or Williams.

I think Love had much more to do with that personally . If and when he's healthy doesn't pay the bills. Neither does his jumper or his finishing abilities. Couldn't we all make a long list of players that had one full good year and nothing else?
And still, the ifs and when's haven't brought on the wins.

PorkChop wrote:

Q12543 wrote:

PorkChop wrote:If any other Wolf had been injured this much and improved this little and drafted so high there would be a mutiny. It's unexplainable to me how much leverage you guys give Ricky . I really wish someone would come out and explain why the hope for him is still so high..

Because we've seen what he can do playing a full 82 games. The starting unit he led was one of the most high-powered offenses in the NBA. And what has occurred when he sits on the bench over the past few years with a variety of backup PGs is dramatic. It's very simple: We're a different team when he's on the court. That could NEVER be said (in a positive way) with past lottery picks like Foye, Brewer, Flynn, Johnson, or Williams.

I think Love had much more to do with that personally . If and when he's healthy doesn't pay the bills. Neither does his jumper or his finishing abilities. Couldn't we all make a long list of players that had one full good year and nothing else?
And still, the ifs and when's haven't brought on the wins.

Well, he had more than one good season. He's been a difference maker for us whenever he played. Our seasons both his rookie year and this past year both went to hell the second he went down. You might be the only one who continues to deny this in the face of hard evidence. You're a Ricky Rubio Denier.

I get the health concerns, as even I'm starting to get frustrated by The Worst Ankle Sprain In History That Then Led to What Could Become The Worst Quad Strain In History.....

sjm34 wrote:

TheSP wrote:

sjm34 wrote:

Q12543 wrote:SJM, How would you suggest we cut bait with Pek?

Injuries suck. When Ricky signed that contract extension, he just played 82 games! No one knew at the time he would get the Ankle Injury From Hell.

I never said anything about cutting bait on Pek (mainly because we can't), but I would never have re-signed Pek to a five year deal considering nobody offered him anything or even brought him in for a visit.

In reference to Ricky improving, I guess the .476 TS% jumping to a whopping .491 in two years make you technically correct, but all three years have been well below the league average. Of course cherry picking out the 22 games of last season doesn't really make sense since he has been coming off an injury for half his career.

While I agree that Ricky does other things very well that don't necessarily show up in the stats, that still doesn't help the wolves win games when he can't stay healthy. If he took advantage of that downtime on the injuries to improve, it might make it more palatable.

1. Could you provide a link that shows he didn't work on his game or is the fact he didn't post picture of said work enough?

2. What exactly do you feel a basketball player should work on when he has a severe ankle injury? You cannot even work on your shot if you're not supposed to be running and jumping.

3. The previous off season he was said to have worked on his shot. It didn't improve much if at all, but he worked on it.

Could you provide proof that he is working on his game?

You can improve your stroke sitting in a chair. That is actually a great exercise to work on your off hand believe it or not.

You're the one suggesting he is not, the impetus is on you if proof is what you desire. Can I prove he is? No, that doesn't mean squat.

Q12543 wrote:

PorkChop wrote:If any other Wolf had been injured this much and improved this little and drafted so high there would be a mutiny. It's unexplainable to me how much leverage you guys give Ricky . I really wish someone would come out and explain why the hope for him is still so high..

Because we've seen what he can do playing a full 82 games. The starting unit he led was one of the most high-powered offenses in the NBA. And what has occurred when he sits on the bench over the past few years with a variety of backup PGs is dramatic. It's very simple: We're a different team when he's on the court. That could NEVER be said (in a positive way) with past lottery picks like Foye, Brewer, Flynn, Johnson, or Williams.

Ding ding ding, we have a winner!

With the current roster any improvement from Rubio is icing on the cake IMO. There are very few PGs in the NBA that are better defensively, and even fewer who run an offense as well, making his teammates better in the process. Rubio doesn't need to be the best player on the floor, he needs to bring out the best in the young players he will share it with.